Monday, April 27, 2009

Brookberry Farm, the Great Wagon Road, the Stewarts, Harrisons, et al

The next page has several pictures, but the last one shows part of the Great Wagon Road traversing northern Forsyth County. If you take a modern map of W-S (Winston-Salem), you can make out the roads on this old map and roughly figure out where this was:

This next site has an old map that is pretty good actually. Zoom in on the picture and then look down toward the bottom left of it and you'll see "Anson County". Right in the middle of that word "County" you'll see the Yadkin River flowing N to S and then to the right of it you'll see "Gorgales Creek" flowing parallel to the Yadkin. That creek is Muddy Creek, so in between the two is where Brookberry Farm is now. The Wagon road on this map goes south and then turns due west. In that area is where Brookberry Farm is now, roughly, because it going due west is the route going to the Shallow Ford of the Yadkin River, aka modern day Shallowford Rd. This map is from 1749.

The following map is my favorite, though, and it's the most informative map I know for showing where the old road was, and how it changed over time as new legs were developed. Notice Forsyth County, and then the Wachovia Tract shaded inside it, and then just to the west of the shaded area you see "1754". In that period the road was coming through that part of the county, just west of Muddy Creek. Brookberry Farm is roughly where the "7" is in 1754. The wagon road was north of there but would have crossed Olivet Church Rd and Robinhood Rd on its way to Lewisville at the intersection of Shallowford and Lewisville-Vienna Roads.

I look forward to working with you on this, Debbie. It was good to talk to you.

Wes

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The location of Brookberry Farm is in modern day Forsyth co, NC, but depending on the time period, you need to check other counties for records involving that same region.

Forsyth formed 1849.Stokes formed 1789.Surry formed 1771.Rowan formed 1753.

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Mrs. Hulse considers the above theory interesting but she disagrees with him about the location of the "Swan Ponds" and she does not think that the Nathaniel Harrison who m Jemima Stewart had been married before, though 'he could have been. She is of the opinion that the Stewarts and Joseph Harrison may have been related or involved as they lived in the same area. There are records in Rowan, Surry, Stokes, Wilkes and Burke to consider. She does believe that the early Joseph Harrison of Rowan and Surry was of the Isaiah Harrison family, but how the Iredell ones vane into it she is not sure. She notes that Isaiah Harrison Jr (in LGT) was adm of Joseph Harrison's estate in Augusta VA in May 1748 and on Sept 1, a "vendue" of Joseph's goods was held at the house of Samuel Stewart by Jeremiah Harrison. And May 23, 1750 Order book II, p 365 is recorded Isaiah Harrison admr of Joseph Harrison removed to Carolina.

LGT says that Isaiah Sr died enroute to VA. He had no son Joseph and it is reasonable to assume that if Joseph had belonged to any of his living sons that his father would have been adm of his estate. Gideon Harrison, son of Isaiah Sr and his first wife (Wright) had died before the family moved to VA. but LGT, p 124, also says that some circumstances indicate that his widow and children were among the first settlers in the Harrisonburg region. Isaiah Harrison Jr came later (the eldest son but the last to cane to VA). Tradition is that 16 were in that party (p 120 LGT). So, even though LGT says that Joseph who died in Augusta 1748 was the son of Isaiah Jr, that is not necessarily so. He could just as well have been a son of Gideon and that the Joseph who got land in Old Rowan County NC was the son of Isaiah Jr.

Isaiah Jr was b Sept 27, 1689 and would have been 61 years old in 1750 and 64 when he entered land in 1753 (Swan Ponds) and in 1761 he would have been 72 when Isaiah appears on the tax list above.. pretty old for those days.

LGT does not say how many children Isaiah Jr had, nor his younger half brother Samuel. In addition to the tax lists quoted above, NORTH CAROLINA TAXPAYERS 1701-1787 by Clarence Radcliffe shows for Rowan and Surry Cos.: Josiah Harrison 1759 Rowan; Essiah Harrison 1772 Surry Co. (presumably Isaiah); Bessiah (Isaiah?) 1771 Surry; John Harrison 1771 Surry; William 1771 Surry; William 1772 Surry. Most likely John Harrison is the brother of James Harrison who m Elizabeth Hampton and the two Williams are the same person paying taxes both years. (Comment: John and James Harrison.. not LGT James Harrison is the subject of the book THE VENTURERS and m Elizabeth Hampton, sister of the famous Wade Hampton. John operated an important store at Shallow Ford and apparently never married - though I wonder).

Joseph Harrison bought land from Anthony Furlerburg in 1758 on the 1E side Yadkin. In 1762 Thomas Harrison was a witness to a deed from Jacob Lash both sides Town Fork Creek, and in that same year Thomas was a witness to deed of Jacob Lash from Granville, on Mill Creek of Gargabs Creek, which Mrs Hulse takes to mean Gargales Creek, which later is called Muddy Creek and is located in SW Stokes Co.

In 1768 if he were still alive, Isaiah Harrison Jr would have been 79 years old and in 1771 81 years.. She believes the "Essiah" listed in the 1771 listing would be a son of his, or a son of Thomas Harrison who lived in the area. She wonders if the Josiah in the 1759 Rowan Co. Tax list is not Isaiah misspelled.

She wonders if in the 1800 Buncombe Census of Thomas Harrison,, if he could possibly be the one who was in Rowan/Surry/Stokes area early, and if he was a son of Isaiah Jr. He could have gone dawn to the Rutherford area and to Buncombe by 1800.

Mrs. Hulse learned a useful item: A man did not have to be 21 to own land, but he had to be 21 to sell it. (That would permit a deed of gift to minors or that they could inherit the land, before 21, which might solve a bunch of questions about ages that do not seem to fit. I am also familiar with South Carolina policies especially around 1768 when they were having a big influx of settlers. They were encouraging the settlers by generous grants and furnishing tools, livestock, supplies and such to the poor. Their general grant policy at that time was 100a for head of the household, male or female, plus 50 acres each for the wife, each child and each servant or slave. However a boy or girl 16 years of age or older could get 100 acres on their own whereas only 50 acres as a child for their parent. Also, they did not pay too much attention to proof of age of these kids who claimed to be 16. I do not know about NC policies in that respect). Enclosures from Betty Jo Hulse.

From THE STEWART CLAN MAGAZINE, Dec 1938. Article, STEWARTS OF OLD ROWAN COUNTY, NC -SAMUEL AND LYDIA STEWART OF YADKIN COUNTY. David Stewart, son of Samuel b c 1722 was in Augusta Co. VA 1747-48 when he "beat the bounds" (processioning boundaries I presume). About 1748 he cot a Granville cant for 138 acres on the Yadkin in Anson Co. NC, later Rowan, then Surry, then after 1850 Yadkin Co. It was surveyed Jan 10, 1748-9 with chain carriers Abraham Potter and Anthony Heavely. David settled on Swan Creek probably before his parents came. He had a constable's beat on the north side of the Yadkin from Muddy Creek (present Davidson Co) upward as shown in the minutes of the court 1753-1756. In 1757 he was granted 380 acres on the east side of Yadkin which he sold in 1779 to John Lynch. David and Samuel Stewart sureties 1762 on the marriage bond of JOSEPH HARRISON and ANN BALLS of Rowan. David and Samuel Stewart were execs of their father's will in 1770 and their mother's will in 1772. David Stewart had a daughter Lydia.

Samuel Stewart, son of Samuel and brother of David b c 1724 m Elizabeth _____. He moved from VA to NC about 1751 probably before his parents. He obtained a grant of 646 acres 1751 with survey 1753. Later in 1762 he got another grant on the east side of the Yadkin on both sides of Swan Creek adjacent to his brother David. John Harrison was a witness. He and David may have been living in Stokes Co in 1790 for the census. There was also a Thomas Stewart, a Rev. War Vet in Surry who m Jane Potter. (I think I notice a discrepancy here: Swan Creek is not on the east side of the Yadkin but on the SW side according to Dr. Rider's map. Also, the author of this article tells about visiting the place and describes its beauty but nothing about a pond in 1938. This is in that part of Surry which became Stokes Co.).

There were several John Stewarts in the area. The John who was son of Samuel was probably not the one married to Hannah Boone and who was killed by Indians in 1770 (hunting buddy of Daniel Boone as I recall) and he probably was not the John Stewart who m Margaret Potts 1770. The proper John Stewart m c 1760 to Susanna Bledsoe, a widow and daughter of Frederick Fulkerson and settled in Surry Co. He probably gave the name to Stewart Creek, west of Mt. Airy. This John and Susanna sold their land 1765 and moved to Mecklenburg County NC 1771 on Stony Fork of Mallard Creek. They sold that too and moved to TN to a branch of the Holston.

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Joseph Stewart, also son of Samuel had among his children, LYDIA. *

ISAIAH Stewart, also son of Samuel. *

John Stewart (another one apparently) m Mary and on a 1763 deed William Harrison was a witness.

There is much more about these Stewarts in these pages.. I have summarized considerably.

This article is subheaded Samuel and Lydia Stewart,, but they are really not discussed in these pages. However, the presumption is that Lydia was Lydia HARRISON, daughter of ISAIAH HARRISON JR.

Jurors for next session include John and Gideon Wright and Joseph Stewart. *

About May 1773. Hezekiah WRIGHT bound unto Edward HERRING, to do with Edward Herring estate. *

Dec 1 1774. John Harrison a witness to do with a trespass case. (This is John Harrison, brother to James who m Elizabeth Hampton. Same day William Harrison on jury. and jury appointed for next court included Hezekiah and Gideon Wright.

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15 Aug 1781. Deed from Robert Harrison by his attorney Matt Brooks to Samuel Kirby... (was Robert moved elsewhere such as Rutherford and later to move to Buncombe?). But 15 May 1783 Robert Harrison to serve as juror next court. *

STOKES COUNTY NC WILLS 1790-1864. Will of David Stewart (Stuart) Nov 24, 1801. Pr Dec 1807. 7b Jamiah Harrison, Hezekiah Rankin, Lydia Potter and Abigail Curd, 20 shillings each. Five sons: John, David, Reuben, Samuel and Thomas, all my estate, also negroes (6 of them) Wife Abigail Stewart to be maintained, Execs John and Reuben Stewart. Wit: Thompson Glenn, Frederick Miller, and Henry Holder. Signed David (X) Stewart... comment: Though this is a sizable estate, he treated his daughter Jamiah (Jemima) Harrison,, wife of Nathaniel Harrison of the possible mixed blood equally with his other daughters though with only 20 shillings. Perhaps there was some sort of reconciliation before his death though he had opposed the marriage.

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ANOTHER MAILING FROM BETTY JO HULSE with more Stewart info from Barbara Blankenship, who is also interested in the Pattersons who were dawn in York Co. SC near Rutherford NC and involved with Harrisons there. (Recall that Pattersons of this area were also from Augusta County VA. Old Jeremiah Harrison, son of Isaiah Sr later of Greene Co. TN, was m to Catherine Adams whose mother was a Patterson). There are copies from a book, THE MAIDEN FAMILY OF VIRGINIA AND ALLIED FAMILIES. This connects Maidens and Underwoods to Stewarts and the author suspects, without proof, that Lydia, wife of Samuel Stewart was the daughter of Isaiah Harrison Jr.

Mrs. Hulse is considering the question of the possibility that her Nathaniel Harrison and others in Buncombe could be sons of Nathaniel Harrison and Jemima Stewart, daughter of David Stewart and Lydia (Harrison?). There are no Stewarts in the 1800 Buncombe County census but between 1810 to 1828 there are several entries for Jacob Stewart in the Buncombe Deed Books. In Rowan County marriages is a record of Jacob Stewart m Nancy Potts in 1768. A Jacob Stewart also m Elizabeth Setzer b ca 1778 in Buncombe (From HERITAGE OF OLD BUNCOMBE CO, VOL I # 566.

Jemima Stewart Harrison in her application for a pension said she had borne three children by Nathaniel, 2 of which were dead by 1842, time of her application. Mrs. Hulse's Nathaniel Harrison of Buncombe/Shelby Co. AL disappears from the records after the 1840 census. In Shelby Co. AL in the 1820 census there were three Harrison families... Nathaniel, Thomas, and Benjamin who was over 21 and living alone. In 1830 Benjamin was 30-40 as was Nathaniel with wife, children and a female 60-70 in his household. Thomas is not listed. She has always assumed that Benjamin and Nathaniel were brothers and Thomas their father and the elderly female their mother and that Thomas had died between 1820 and 1830.